


Truth Serum

by ZombieJesus



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Drugged Confessions, Interrogation, Lies and truth, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 08:04:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14160384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieJesus/pseuds/ZombieJesus
Summary: Light is forced to tell the truth for once.





	Truth Serum

It didn’t take long for L to recognize the subtle changes in Light after the Yotsuba case had ended. He was quieter now, more reserved. Kept to himself now that the handcuffs no longer bound them to the same spaces, to each other. 

 

And if L was being honest, he missed it, in a way. But he wasn’t being honest, not with Light—he pretended like nothing had changed and he hadn’t noticed the changes in behavior—and not with himself.

 

But he knew he didn’t have much time left, felt the silent danger floating behind Light’s eyes. He saw a plan there, a cold confidence that betrayed Light’s feelings that he’d already won. Perhaps it was just a matter of time now. _But what is he waiting for?_

 

L had considered carefully his remaining options and none were likely to save his life, let alone expose Light as Kira. But there was one he hadn’t tried yet. Truth serum.

 

L held the syringe in his hands now, hovering over Light’s arm as he was restrained in the chair. It was just the two of them, Light had insisted on that stipulation if he was to go along with this. L still wasn’t completely sure why Light had agreed. _Was he that confident he could beat it?_ Surely he didn’t think L believed he was innocent. But Light did have enormous willpower. _Perhaps he really could._

 

”Last chance to back out of this Kira.”

 

Light just shot him an irritated look and faced the wall, “Just get it over with.”

 

L applied the tourniquet and injected the drug into Light’s vein, holding a cotton pad over the injection site when he pulled the syringe back. He placed the empty syringe on a tray on the table and crouched in the chair across from Light.

 

Light began to sweat, he felt suddenly very hot as his mind became clouded, hazy. He tried to fight against it, but his eyes gradually unfocused as a fog descended. “Is...is this safe L...”

 

”Other than the risks we discussed before, it’s perfectly safe.” He’d consulted with doctors about the dosage and precautions, and while no permanent damage was expected, some brief memory loss might occur. “As long as you have nothing to hide.”

 

Light swallowed hard, his throat felt dry and tight. He was drifting, hanging onto L’s voice and trying to focus but he found his mental barriers, his practiced defenses falling away under the drug’s influence. He slumped forward in the chair a bit, his chin resting on his chest as he tried to concentrate on breathing. He summoned up some scraps of defiance. “Doesn’t this...feel like cheating, L...using a drug. You must be...desperate.” A small smile as he lifted his large black pupils to meet L’s stare, but it was a broken mirror of Kira.

 

Something in L knew that’s exactly what this was. A last flailing attempt before it was too late. But he denied it to himself.  _It isn’t cheating._ _It’s the last option available to me._  

 

”A few easy questions to see how you’re responding. State your name.”

 

”Yagami Light.” He looked at L, his eyes begging him not to do this. As strong as his willpower was, it was frighteningly clear he couldn’t fight this.

 

”And how old are you?”

 

”Eighteen.”

 

L paused. “Where did we meet?”

 

Light’s pupils tried to focus but only fluttered. “Our first meeting was...at To-Oh.”

 

”And what were your impressions then?”

 

Light whispered, “I thought you were strange. I thought you were beautiful.”

 

L looked up at the ceiling, a pain in his chest preventing him from looking at Light, now slightly drooling and unable to wipe it away. He stood up and took a tissue, wiping Light’s mouth. “You thought I was beautiful?”

 

”Yes.”

 

L returned to crouch in his chair, eyes unblinking. ”What did you think when I told you I was L?”

 

”I...was scared at first and then...I wanted to know you better. Get close to you. Work with you.”

 

”You wanted to join the Kira case, but why exactly?”

 

”I...admired you. It was an honor to be asked and I wanted to prove to you that...I was smart enough.”

 

”Smart enough for what?”

 

”My dream...to work beside you. Be a detective, solve cases like my father. Help you...as L.”

 

“And how did you feel when you came on to help?”

 

”Confident. Excited to be nearer to you. I felt...” Light swallowed hard but went on, “...attracted to you.”

 

”You were...attracted to me?” L was surprised, his eyes going even wider than their usual huge circumference.

 

”Yes.”

 

”But wasn’t Amane Misa your girlfriend?”

 

”In name only.”

 

”You don’t love her?”

 

Light looked away, “No.”

 

”Then why pretend?”

 

”She can see...names.” Light whimpered as the words were yanked from him.

 

L whispered, ”My name?”

 

Light jerked against the restraints, then slumped into them. Despair dripped from his voice, “Yes, she told me some time ago.”

 

“Then why am I alive?” L leaned forward in his crouch, his thumb pressed hard to his bottom lip.

 

Light felt panicked, the question wasn’t incriminating per se, but his answer would destroy him nonetheless. A whisper, “Because...I’m in love with you.”

 

The questions L had meant to ask: ‘Are you Kira?’...‘How do you kill?’...these stuck in the back of L’s throat as Light raised his unfocused eyes to L’s. _He’s suffering, scared. He’s trying to fight this but he can’t. He’s waiting for the big questions that will end him. And he’s right. It is cheating._

 

A drop of sweat dripped from Light’s bangs, hanging down in his face, and he struggled to regain control of his mind and fight the cheat. L saw fear flicker in Light’s eyes as their battle shifted from his favor, and as Light strained to lift his head, and managed to do it, L had never respected him more.

 

Light shuddered against the bindings, his breathing somewhat shallow. “You must have dosed me good L.” He smiled sadly, confidence stripped away. “Aren’t you going to—“

 

”You’re in love with me?”

 

Light squeezed his eyes shut, breathing harder, “You make me say it again? I don’t want to be, but...yes.” The affirmation came out in broken pants.

 

L stared at him. _These are Light’s truths. He’s fighting it. Being honest for...once in his life? But wasn’t it too much to ask for truth, given what we both are, who we are? I’ve lied too, Light. Lied my whole life too._

 

Light balled his fists and screamed at him, “Come on! Don’t draw it out to torture me! Just get it over with!”

 

L knew he could ask Light anything. He’d succumbed to the serum completely. “Light...” He got up and moved his chair closer, uncurling Light’s clenched hand into his own. And instead of asking about Kira, he asked Light to talk about his life, his dreams, the things he finds beautiful or scary or have broken his heart or cheered him. His childhood. His accomplishments. His failures. What he likes about L. What he loves.

 

”The way you stir your teacup so it never clinks the sides...

 

The way you look at me in the morning, right when you wake up, before you remember...

 

The way we challenge each other, even when we don’t have to, just because we can...

 

The way you chase me but don’t catch me, and I let you...

 

The flush on your cheeks when I touch you by accident...

 

These things L. So many things.”

 

  
L gets to know the real Light, the one behind the mask he wears daily, over the afternoon. Putting off the big bomb questions, even though he knows he shouldn’t. He’d finally gotten the chance to know anything about Light but the Kira questions faded away in his mind. But eventually L sees the truth serum is starting to wear off and Light is less groggy now, more guarded. L gets less and less out of him until finally Light has his mask back up completely.

 

Light’s pupils were sharply focused now, and he raised his head confidently. His breathing was normalized, and a tiny smirk started to form again on his lips. “Is the session over L? Did you get everything you wanted?” He pulled his hand back into a fist, away from L’s, not remembering much about what he had said under the serum’s influence. But Light’s confidence was such that he felt he’d never compromise himself. _And would L still be sitting here if I had? I’d be halfway to jail by now._

 

L sighed, considering what to do. He knew what he should have done. What he should do now. _Why do I fear it, put it off? It’s what I’ve been working towards this whole time! And there may be very little time left._

 

Light wiggled impatiently, “L, are we through _?”_

 

L stood up and walked over to the table, taking a new syringe and pulling another dose of serum. Light shook his head rapidly and protested but L plunged the needle into his vein, and pushed the serum in. 

 

“L no...please stop...” The smirk felt away and the fear returned, and a new expression. Betrayal. Tears streamed down Light’s face this time, and he yelled, “Cheater!”

 

L pulled one more dose and crouched beside Light, watching his pupils become unfocused wide blackness again. “We’re going to be honest with each other, Light.” He injected the serum into his own arm. “Both of us.”

  
L knew they probably wouldn’t remember anything the other said after the drug wore off. No one was voicing questions. But the voice in L’s head that kept him up at night posed one instead.

 

He took Light’s hand, and told the truth.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this as a short drabble on tumblr, and have expanded it to prose here. Thank you for reading! I’ll be truthful, I’d love your kudos and comments if you liked it. <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr here:[kiranatrix](https://kiranatrix.tumblr.com)


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